If you live in the state of Georgia and especially in the areas of North Georgia, more than likely at least one time in your life you have come across that dreadful sight that nobody wants to see while driving down the highway.

The sight I am referring to is an animal that is black with a white stripe down its back most commonly known as the skunk!

Skunks are small nonturnal mammals known for the horrific foul-smelling spray. These animals spray came be smelled over a mile away.

What makes this time of the year bad for Georgia drivers (especially those who travel in the night time hours) is that it is skunk mating season!

Skunks tend to mate between the months of December, January, February and March. Meaning that right now is officially the middle of their mating season!

Skunks do not care to cross the highways of Georgia to mate due to most highways tracking over the skunks territory. This results in many skunks being hit by cars or almost being hit which causes the skunk to release that dreadful smell that all of us cannot stand!

Most of the time when you hit a skunk with your car, your vehicle will also be sprayed resulting in your car smelling like a skunk. To get the smell off of your vehicle simply mix a combination of distilled vinegar, liquid dish washing soap and water. The vinegar and soap mixed together will cut the smell and the toxic acid of the spray.

Have you ever had homemade buttermilk cornbread in a glass that is filled up with whole milk? It is one of my favorite things to eat. I grew up watching my papaw eat this as an evening snack anytime they had leftover cornbread, and you could not give him a better bedtime snack. Sometimes he even enjoyed it as a quick lunch.

1 cup of self rising cornmeal

3/4 cup of buttermilk

3 tablespoons of oil

8oz of milk in a glass

1 egg

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

While the oven is preheating , in a mixing bowl combine in your 3 tablespoons of oil, 3/4 cup of buttermilk , 1 egg and 1 cup of self rising flour. Mix all of the ingredients until they are all well combined.

Once the ingredients are combined, pour the batter into a cast iron skillet.

My family uses a well seasoned cast iron skillet to cook the cornbread in. This way you do not have to worry about the cornbread sticking to the skillet.

Place the raw cornbread batter into the pre-heated oven and bake for around 25 to 30 minutes or until the cornbread is golden brown.

Once 25 to 30 minutes are up, remove the cornbread out of the oven. Slice the cornbread into serving slices and place each slice of the cornbread into an 8 ounce glass of whole milk.

Notes, you can also use lactose milk if you are lactose intolerant. If you do not have a well-seasoned cast iron skillet just grease your skillet before adding in the cornbread batter and that will prevent the cornbread from sticking.

Did you all know that the state of Tennessee is home to the largest underground lake inside of the United States? It is true!

Located in southeast Tennessee is the largest underground body of water inside of the United States called the Lost Sea. The Lost Sea is a remarkable body of freshwater.

The sea is listed inside of the Book of Guinness World Records as America’s largest underground lake.

The Lost Sea is a part of a historic cave system called the Craighead Caverns.

The caverns have been used in several different historical events. The Lost Sea was used by the Cherokee tribe when they occupied the territory.

The caverns have a tiny natural opening on the side of the mountain. The cave expands into several different large rooms.

One of the rooms which is located nearly a mile from the entrance of the cave is called the “The Council Room”.

The Council Room includes a large range of Native American artifacts including arrowheads, pottery, jewelry and weapons.

It is thought that one of the earliest signs of life that came inside of the cavern was a giant Pleistocene jaguar. Tracks of the jaguar have been discovered deep inside of the cave.

When white settlers first came and settled inside of the Lost Sea area, many of them used the cave to store potatoes and other vegetables.

During the Civil War the Confederate Army mined the cave for saltpeter. Saltpeter was a necessary essential to make gunpowder for the war.

That is right everyone you all heard me correct, our feathered friends are officially back right now to the state of Georgia!

How to clean hummingbird feeders

With all of this being said, right now is a great time to get your hummingbirds feeders ready to go and prepared for our feathered friends’ return!

To clean the feeders just use a clean paper towel, warm water and dishwashing detergent. Clean the feeders and rinse them thoroughly to prevent any soap from being left behind inside.

After you clean your hummingbird feeders out now it is time for the fun part, making the hummingbird food!

To make the hummingbird nectar food follow the recipe that I have entered below. Remember never use any artificial red food coloring because it is very harmful to hummingbirds!

The hummingbird nectar recipe

Mix 1 part sugar with 4 parts water. Stir the sugar and the water well together until it is dissolved. Pour the hummingbird food into your hummingbird feeders and hang the feeders outside. You can store the leftover feed in the fridge if you would like.

There are a lot of historic sites and objects that can be found inside of Georgia’s Fort Mountain State Park but some of them are hidden and have to be searched for. The abandoned gold mine inside of the park is one of these objects!

Park rangers and locals alike will tell you about this historic landmark that can be found inside of the park. Its location is along Goldmine Creek Trail, one of the many trails that Fort Mountain State Park has to offer.

The mine is abandoned so please do not disturb or try to enter it. Safety first always!

While you are hiking Goldmine Creek, be sure to view the breathtaking Goldmine Creek Falls that descend down the mountain.

The mine’s location deep inside of the North Georgia mountains is not an unthinkable location because in the 1800’s Georgia’s mountains were filled with gold and many gold miners moved into the areas surrounding the cities of the North Georgia mountains like the city of Dahlonega.

For the most part the gold mining has become a thing of the past here in the state of Georgia but its history will truly be one of the many stories that helped form the state into what it is today.

If you are interested in visiting Fort Mountain State Park and locating the hidden goldmine. Be sure to stop by the Fort Mountain State Park Trading Center or call the park at 706-422-1932. Be sure to grab a trail map while you are there.

Lake Lanier is considered the most dangerous lake inside the state of Georgia. The lake has been the sight of numerous drownings, sometimes several in a week.

When the lake was formed and created, it displaced several graveyards. This fact has fueled several theories that there are angry spirits in and around the water of Lake Lanier. The lake is even home to a phantom nicknamed, The Lady of the Lake.

The Lady of the Lake

In 1958, Susie Roberts and Delia May Parker Young both drowned inside of Lake Lanier. Susie, wearing a blue dress, lost control of her car while crossing the Lake Lanier bridge.

Since the crash, people have reported seeing a lost woman in a blue dress missing both of her hands. 31 years after the crash, Susie’s car was found inside of the lake. They recovered Susie’s body from the lake. She was found wearing a blue dress and missing both of her hands.

Lake Lanier’s History

Lake Lanier is a manmade lake which was created in the 1950’s by flooding the valley communities including Castleberry Bottom. The Army Corps of Engineers created the lake in hopes of providing the city of Atlanta and other surrounding counties with power and water.

The government offered locals money for their farmland, many of which had been in their family for generations. 700 families sold their land to the government which resulted in over 56,000 acres.

As the family’s land filled with water in 1956, people jammed the bridges and roads and watched their history vanish underwater.

With egg prices continuing to surge it is only natural for you to begin to think about keeping your own chicken. The main question is after you decide this life changing decision is what is the best chicken breed to buy?

Here is eight of the top best egg laying chicken breeds that would work great in your own Georgia backyard!

Rhode Island Red

Rhode Island normally lay around 250 to 300 eggs per each year. These chickens are also very hardy in our Georgia climate.

Silver-Laced Wyandottes

These chickens in my opinion are one of the most beautiful chickens God ever created. Their showstopping feathers and their great egg production makes this chicken breed one of my favorites. Silver Laced will lay 150 to 200 eggs per each year.

Barred Rock

I have alot of incredible memories having this chicken breed as a young child. These chickens are very docile and hardly ever are mean. I had an amazing relationship with my pet Barred Rock Rooster he followed me everywhere and was almost like a pet dog. He just loved to be petted. The hens will lay 200 to 280 eggs per every year.

Ameracauna

Ameracauna chickens will lay 150 to 200 eggs per each year.

Delaware

Delaware chickens will lay 180 to 260 eggs per each year.

Marans

Maran chickens will lay up to 150 to 200 eggs per each year.

Polish

Polish chickens will lay up to 180 to 200 eggs per each year.

Australorp

Australorps will lay up to 200 to 250 eggs per year.